pt. 1. Background & History. I. Biographical Sketch of the Brothers Grimm. Childhood and Youth. Studies in Marburg and Abroad. From Libraries to Diplomacy. The Grimms' Struggle for Democracy. Toward an International Scholarship. Berlin and Beyond. II. The History of the Kinder-Und Hausmarchen. Collections for Arnim and Brentano (1805-1811). Folktales for Savigny's Children (1808). The Publishing History (1812-1857)

pt. 2. The Grimms' Theory and Practice of Folktale Collections. III. The Nature and Meaning of Folktales. Herder and the Brothers Grimm. Naturpoesie: The Grimms Search for Naivete. The Epic Connection. Folktales and Norse Mythology. IV. Folktale Characters. Mythical and Epic Dimensions. Characters from Folk Books and Legends. Humane and Poetic Character Traits. V. The Origin of Myths and Folktales. Indo-European and Comparative Theories. Universal Folktale Origins. The Art and Age of Storytelling. Language Dynamics and Loyalty to Tradition. VI. The Sources of the Collection.

The Background of the Informants. The Issue of Ethnic Origin. The Child as Informant. The Language and Games of Children. Printed Sources. VII. The Methods of the Collection. Recording and Annotating Oral Sources. Jacob Grimm's Folklore Questionnaire. The Editing Process. The Grimms' Folktale Style

pt. 3. Critical Appraisal of the Kinder-Und Hausmarchen. VIII. Marchenkritik in the Context of European Romanticism. Folklore and the Middle Ages. Volksmarchen versus Kunstmarchen. Marchen at Home and Abroad. The Grimms' Response to the Fearful. The English Quest for Nordic Roots. The Plea for Imagination: Taylor and Scott. The Irish Connection. IX. Didactic Approaches to Folktales and Fairy Tales. Philosophical Objections to Fairy Tales. Religious and Moralistic Approaches (England). Pragmatic and Realistic Approaches (U.S.A.). Early Social and Nationalistic Approaches (Germany). Political-Ideological Approaches: The Nazi Era. X. Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Grimms' Folktales.

Linguistics and Solar Mythology. Anthropology: Savage Customs and Rituals. Formalistic and Structural Approaches. Psychoanalysis and Archetypes. Symbolic and Literary Interpretations. Feminist Views and Counterarguments. Social-Historical Perspectives. The Issue of National Character. The Issue of Folktale Ethics. XI. Different Versions of the Kinder-Und Hausmarchen. Children's Book Editions and Translations. Folktales from the Grimm Archives. Ironic and Satirical Versions. XII. Conclusion. Dispelling the Myths.